Deterrence - Its Past and Future—Papers Presented at Hoover Institution, November 2010

International relations theory has been the site of intense debate in recent years. A decade ago it was still possible to divide the field between three main perspectives – Realism, Liberalism, and Marxism. Not only have these approaches evolved in new directions, they have been joined by a number of new ‘isms’ vying for attention, including feminism and constructivism.

International Relations Theory for the Twenty-First Century is the first comprehensive textbook to provide an overview of all the most important theories within international relations. Written by an international team of experts in the field, the book covers both traditional approaches, such as realism and liberal internationalism, as well as new developments such as constructivism, poststructuralism and postcolonialism.

The book’s comprehensive coverage of IR theory makes it the ideal textbook for teachers and students who want an up-to-date survey of the rich variety of theoretical work and for readers with no prior exposure to the subject.

Introduced by an overview of the discipline's development and general structure, the more than 40 entries are broken down as follows:

Parts two introduces the key theories and each chapter includes:

" A broad overview

" a discussion of methodologies

" a review of empricial applications

" a guide to further reading and useful websites

Part three discusses the major concepts and for each concept provides:

" An introduction to the core questions

" An overview of the definitions and theoretical perspectives

" A review of empirical problems

" Links to other entries, further reading and useful websites

This textbook is the perfect short introduction to the fundamental theories and issues of international political economy (IPE).

Written in a concise and accessible style, the text equips students with the necessary skills and knowledge to understand this complex and fascinating area. Engaging with both classical theories and the main contemporary debates, this is the ideal starting point for the study of IPE.

The text introduces students to the three main theoretical approaches in IPE: free market, institutionalist and historical materialist. The strengths and weaknesses of the theories are then illustrated by a series of fascinating applied case studies in such core areas as international trade, finance, transnational corporations, development and the environment.